Shuttle binder control mechanism



May 30, 1967 J. R. EVANS ETAL SHUTTLE BINDER CONTROL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1965 INVENTOR. JGSEPH R EVANS QJQQOON SRoamsoN A TTORNEY May 30, 1967 J. R. EVANS ETAL SHUTTLE BINDER CONTROL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 50, 1965 EN ENTOR.

A TTORNE Y y 1967 J. R. EVAN$ ETAL 3,322,161

SHUTTLE BINDER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 30, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet Oj/ N I, j" INVENTOR.

' JOSEPH FHZVAMS GDRDON 5. ROBINSON ATTORNEY May 30, 1967 J. R. EVANS ETAL SHUTTLE BINDER CONTROL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 30, 1965 A TTORIVEY INVENTOR JO$EF H REVAMS GQRDQN SROBWSON United States Patent 3,322,161 SHUTTLE BINDER CONTROL MECHANISM Joseph R. Evans, Milford, Mass., and Gordon S. Robinson, Woonsocket, R.I., assignors to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Filed Dec. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 517,605 7 Claims. (Cl. 139-187) This invention pertains to shuttle boxes for looms and, more particularly, to means for controlling the binder pressure exerted toward the shuttle during the weaving cycle and for releasing the pressure when desired during loom stoppage.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a mechanism to transmit and release pressure through a shuttle binder in timed relationship to the shuttle flight.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a binder control mechanism operable from the lay movement which may apply and release binder pressures in accurately timed cycles.

It is a further object to provide a control mechanism for binders of the low-lift, high-force type.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a control mechanism for automatically relieving high pressures at regular intervals from a binder, which mechanism includes further means for manually relieving binder pressure during loom stoppage.

It is a further object of the invention to devise a binder control mechanism having automatic and manually operated portions which are separately operable through disconnected linkage.

It is a still further object to devise a manually operated device for overcoming the high forces encountered in a binder employing a fixed spring ground.

It is a further object to devise a binder control mechanism which shall combine in separation an automatic timing means for relieving binder pressure prior to shuttle picking and a manually operable high-pressure release means.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as further details are disclosed.

The shuttle boxes into which the weaving shuttle is thrown from one side of a loom to the other have been developed in many ways to solve the problems of deceleration and rebounding. Many such boxes presently in use employ a binder or movable sidewall to exert an inwardly directed pressure to aid in decelerating and holding the weaving shuttle. These binders fall generally into one of two classes, namely, high-lift and low-lift. The high-lift type which employs the use of low pressure springs to exert pressure are well known and are in common use. This type of binder is generally pivoted at its outward end with the opposite end movable inwardly of the shuttle box a considerable distance. The shuttle, in entering the box, will strike the swell or high-lift section of the binder where a large portion of its kinetic energy will be dissipated with a lesser portion taken up by the binder pressure.

The low-lift type of binder having springs exerting high forces against the binder face is the one disclosed in the drawings herewith; however, it should be understood that the control mechanism of the instant invention is applicable to either type. With the low-lift, high-force type of binder the pressure directed toward a shuttle may be many times greater than with the high-lift type. This is possible mainly because of the fixed or permanent ground to which the springs are secured. With this condition the binder pressure is relieved by drawing the binder face outwardly of the shuttle box against the permanently fixed springs. This will increase the compression and result in a very rigidly supported binder which has been found to be a great advantage in shuttle control. To

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overcome the greatly increased pressures during the weaving cycle and also during loom stoppage, two separated cam systems are disclosed herein whereby both systems are effective upon a common operating lever.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

FIG. 1 is a right-hand side elevation of the invention showing the extent of movement by means of full and dotted line drawing;

FIG. -2 is a portion of that shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the binder in its full pressure exerting position;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 with the binder in the pressure relieved position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the invention in place upon a right-hand shuttle box;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the binder actuating arm shown keyed to the supporting shaft; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of cam and follower as taken from line 66 in FIG. 1.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a loom to which the invention has been applied comprises, among other parts, a loomside 20', crankshaft 21, and a sword 22, all of which are commonly known in a throw-shuttle m. A lay 23 is shown as an extruded metal member but may be of wood construction. A lay end 24 provides a shuttle box floor and has solidly fixed thereto a front box plate 25. A binder combination, generally designated 26 is secured rearwardly of the lay end 24 in opposing relationship to the box plate 25 to thereby form the partially enclosed shuttle box. The binder combination 26 is rigidly attached to the lay end 24 by bolts or screws through holes 27 in a lengthwise base member 28 (FIG. 4). Two binder relieving studs 29 extend generally horizontally through the base 28 and are securely fastened at their forwardly extending ends to the binder face member 30. The face member 30 is the rear sidewall of the shuttle box and may have a covering 31 of leather, felt or other friction material (FIG. 4).

Three compression studs 32 are alternately spaced with the studs 29 and extend through the base member 28 toward the face member 30. A pair of compression springs 33 and 34 encircle the extending end of each stud 32 to constantly urge the face member 30 inwardly of the shuttle box. Two springs are used in order to obtain in the small space available greater compression than one spring would produce, The springs 33 and 34 are anchored against the immovable base 28 so that as the face member 30 is drawn outwardly of the shuttle box, as will be later explained, the springs will be compressed and the rigidity of the binder face greatly increased. The application and relief of the binder pressure must occur in regular timed cycles as the shuttle is received into and picked out of the shuttle box. The tension control mechanism for effecting this movement will now be explained.

A supporting shaft 35 is oscillatably secured to the inward side of the lay 23 adjacent and somewhat below the binder base member 28 (FIGS. 1 and 4). A lever 36 is fastened to the shaft 35 near the inward end by a key 37. The lower end 38 of the lever 36 is bifurcated to journal a freely rotatable roller 39' which serves as a cam follower to pivot the lever 36 and the shaft 35, (FIGS. 1 and 6). A crank arm 40 is connected at one end to the crankshaft 21 and journalled at the other end 41 to the sword 22 in a usual manner (FIGS. 2 and 3). The crank arm 40 is shown as a spring type arm but other types are equally satisfactory. With the rotation of the crankshaft 21, the sword 22 will be reciprocated forward and back to complete a weaving cycle.

A cam bracket 42 is pivotally fastened to the sword 22 by a screw 43 (FIGS. 1 and 3), The rearwardly extend- 3 ing end of the bracket 42 is slidably held to the crank arm 40 by a screw 44 through a slot 45. The forward end of the bracket 42 forms a cam face 46 to act upon the roller 39. It will be seen by viewing FIG. 1 that, when the cam 46 is urged downward, the lever 36 will be pivoted to the dotted line position thus pivoting the shaft 35 an equal amount.

In operation, the crank of the crankshaft 21 is rotating clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 and starting when the crankshaft is at about front center until about 140 of revolution the cam 46 will act upon the follower 39. For approximately the balance of the revolution the cam 46 will rise enough to allow the follower 39 to roll beneath and permit the lever 36 to return to the original position.

Forked fingers 47 are keyed to the supporting shaft 35 in a position beneath and extending upwardly to each relieving stud 29 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5). The forked fingers 47 are held to each stud 29 by lock nuts 48. As the lever 36 is pivoted to the dotted line position, the shaft 35 will pivot the fingers 47 and draw the binder face 30 outwardly of the shuttle box to enable the shuttle to be picked without the hindrance of excess pressure. The timing of the application and relief of pressure to the binder are determined by the configuration of the cam face 46 and the time allotted to one position may be lengthened or shortened relative to the time in the other position.

During loom stoppage it is often necessary to remove the shuttle from the box for a variety of reasons. With binders which exert considerable pressure such as that illustrated herein it is essential to provide a means to relieve that pressure. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, a shaft 49 is journalled between the flanges of the sword 22 and has locked at one end a high-rise cam 50 positioned to contact a cam follower surface 51 upon the upper end of the lever 36. Fastened to the other end of the shaft 49 is a handle 52 of sufiicient length to apply the necessary leverage to pivot the shaft 49 and cam 50 to overcome the pressure of the spirngs 33 and 34. The handle 52 may be secured to the hand rail 53 by any convenient means as by a spring clip 54. Each of the cams 46 and 50 will act separately to pivot the lever 36 and each cam when operating will draw the lever 36 away from the other cam.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A tension control mechanism for a shuttle binder of a loom comprising (a) a supporting shaft oscillatably fixed adjacent said binder,

(b) a lever fixed to said supporting shaft for pivotal movement therewith,

(c) binder pressure relieving means fixed to said supporting shaft, and

(d) manually driven camming means for pivoting said lever.

2. Mechanism as described in claim 1 which further includes (a) a loom crank shaft,

(b) a crank arm secured to be driven by said crank shaft,

(c) further camming means adjustably fixed to said crank arm for intermittently pivoting said lever, and

(d) said lever having one end defining a cam follower.

3. Mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein said cam follower includes a freely rotatable roller being supported by a bifurcated lever end.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure relieving means includes at least one binder actuating finger engaged with said binder for relieving binder pressure when oscillated by said supporting shaft.

5. Mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said lever has a second end forming a cam follower surface for activation by said manually driven camming means.

6. Mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said further camming means and said manually driven camming means are each separately operable upon said lever.

7. Mechanism as defined in claims 5 wherein said manually driven camming means comprises 1 (a) a pivotal shaft,

(b) a high rise cam fixed to said shaft in a position to contact said cam follower surface, and

(c) a hand lever fixed to said shaft for oscillting said high rise cam toward and away from said cam follower surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 962,495 6/1910 Cote et a1 139--187 2,160,707 5/1939 Pace 139-187 FOREIGN PATENTS 633,633 12/ 1949 Great Britain.

708,677 5/ 1954 Great Britain.

461,168 1/1951 Italy.

484,228 9/ 1953 Italy.

108,053 12/ 1924 Switzerland.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

I. KEE CHI, Asssitant Examiner. 

1. A TENSION CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A SHUTTLE BINDER OF A LOOM COMPRISING (A) A SUPPORTING SHAFT OSCILLATABLY FIXED ADJACENT SAID BINDER, (B) A LEVER FIXED TO SAID SUPPORTING SHAFT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH, 